Automatic postage-stamp attacher.



J. M. STEVENS, E. D. HARRISONE: J. J. MAOHADO. AUTOMATIC POSTAGE STAMP ATTACHER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1912. 7

1,079,892. Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l a? J" HI" i E hil ,in I

a w M z? M i fl 9 53 WM .T. M. STEVENS, E. D. HARRISON & J. J. MAOHADO.

AUTOMATIC POSTAGE STAMP ATTAGHER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1912.

Patented Nov. .25, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

James Jf.

Gums, I

J. M. STEVENS, E. D.HARRISON & J. J. MACHADO. AUTOMATIC POSTAGE STAMP ATTAGHER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1912.

1,079,892. Patented Nov. 25, 19 13.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES IVE. STEVENS, EARL D. HARRISON, JOHN J. MACI-IADO, 0F BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC POSTAGE-STAMP ATTAGHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J AMES M. STEVENS, EARL D. HARRISON, and JOHN J. MAoHADo, citizens of the United States, residing at Bakersfield, in the county of Kern and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Postage-Stamp Attachers, of which the following is a speci- I fication.

The invention relates to a postage stamp afiixing device and more particularly to the class of automatic stamp moistening and affixing devices.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein envelops inserted therein will be moistened and a postage stamp aflixed to each of the same without requiring the necessity of handling the stamps on inserting the envelops in the usual well-known manner.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein stamps will be successfully set in position so that on the insertion of envelops singly into the device the stamps will be applied thereto in a quick and convenient manner thereby avoiding the necessity of manually afiixing the stamps to the envelops.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein each envelop introduced thereinto will be automatically moistened at one corner so that the stamp when fed to the device will become afiixed to the envelop, the stamps being successively fed into the device and separated from novel manner.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and eiiicient in its operation and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a front elevation of a. device constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal view therethrough. Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 27, 1912.

each other in a Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

Serial No. 722,736. 1

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in shifted position. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the device showng the reel used in open position. Fig. 7 1s a view similar to Fig. 6 looking toward the other end of the device.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing by numerals the devlce comprises a box-like casing 10 preferably constructed from wood though it may be made from any other suitable material and is open at its front and back whereby access may be had to the interior of the easing when desired. The open front and back are normally closed by doors 11 and 12 respectively each connected to the casing by the medium of hinges 13 so that the same may be swung to open or closed position. The doors 11 and 12 are provided with suitable latches 14 whereby they may be locked when closed.

Rising centrally within the casing 10 from the bottom thereof is a vertical hollow guide 'ner presently described.

Formed in the front door 11 and the end wall adjacent thereto of the casing and cut through the corner of the rear end is an envelop receiving opening or slot 21 forming an entrance to an envelop guide 22 having a horizontally disposed bed 23 and a rearwardly inclined top plate 24 the rear edges of which are united to each other while the bed 23 is formed with opening 25 alining with the hollow post 15 wherebythe plunger 16 when moving upwardly will engage the envelop guide 22 for affixing the stamp thereto in a manner presently described. The envelop guide 22 is fixed to the end wall of the casing 10 in any suitable manner while the front edges of the said guide engage in the seat 26 formed in the inner face' of the front door 11 so that the edges of the envelop guide will not interfere with the insertion of the envelop therein through the opening 21.

Mounted on the inner side of the rear door 12 is a water tank 27 in which is adapted to be introduced a suflicient quan tity of water to be absorbed by means of a sponge 28 with which is adapted to contact amoistening bar or head 29 mounted upon a swinging arm 30 depending from a pivot 31 fixed in spaced parallel bearings 32 depending from the inner face of the top of the casing 10 and this arm 30 is designed to be shifted through a cut-away portion 33 provided at one side of the hollow post 15 and the opening 25 in the bed 23 for contact with one corner of the envelop for the moistening thereof whereby a stamp will be substantially affixed to the moistened por tion of the envelop in a manner presently described.

Coiled around the pivot 31 supporting the arm 30 is a. spring member 34 the same being connected to the arm 30 so as to normally hold the latter in a position whereby the moistening pad or head 29 will be in contact with the sponge 28, thus sustaining the pad or head saturated with water for moistening purposes.

Arranged within the casing 10 and rising from the bottom thereof at one side of the hollow guide-post 15 are spaced bearings 35 in which is journaled the spindle 36 of a feed roller 37 while swingingly connected above the said roller is a frame or yoke 38 provided with alining bearings 39 in which is j'ournaled the spindle of the guide roller 41, the rear end of the feed roller 37 being formed with outer resilient peripheries 42 adapted to engage a stamp strip 43 which is trained through a feed way or guide mounted within the casing 10 and suitably supported therein, the strip 43 being normally wound upon a SPOOL or reel 45 removablv journaled upon a supporting stem or pin 46 stationarily mounted within a housing 47 fixed exteriorly of the casing 10 to one end wall thereof, the housing 47 being provided with a hinged door 48 so that access may be had thereto whereby the reel-may be removed from the stem or pin 46 or placed thereon as the occasion requires.

Suitably fixed in and depending fro-m the top of the casing 10 are spaced vertical guide pms 49 on which is slidably mounted an inverted U-sh'aped yoke 50 the limb 51 of which carries a spline heel portion 52 the latter engageable with a ratchetwheel 53 fixed to the spindle 36 of the said roller 37 so that on actuating the yoke 50 the feed roller 37 will be rotated in a step by step manner for the feeding of the strip 43 through the guide 44 into the path of the plunger 16 whereby a single stamp will be engaged by the latter after the said stamp has been severed from the strip for the aflixing thereof to the moistened corner of an envelop when positioned within the envelop guide 22 and resting upon the bed 23 thereof. Mounted upon the post 15 and projecting through an opening 54 and at one side thereof is a cutting blade 55 which is designed to sever a single stamp from the strip 43 on the raising of the plunger 16 within the post 15 whereby the single stamp will be carried up by the plunger and affixed to the envelop as will be clearly apparent. Formed on the other limb 56 of the yoke 50 is a cam 57 same being designed to engage one end of the arm or lever 18 so that on the lowering of the yoke 50 the arm will be locked on its pivot 19 and thereby raise the plunger 16 within the post 15 for the severing of a single stamp from the strip 43 fed in the path of the plunger and also bringing the stamp in position to be affixed to an envelop when engaged in the guide 22 the lever or arm 18 being normally sustained lowered by means of a retractile spring 58 connected thereto and to the bearin 20 to which the said arnu 18 is pivoted.

Fixed centrally in the yoke 50 and slidable in a. perforated boss 59 as formed on the top of the casing 10 is a stem 60 to the outer end of which is fixed a hand knob 61, the yoke 50 being normally elevated through tlu medium of coiled expansion springs 62 surrounding the guide pins 49 and the limbs of this yoke 50 are slidably engaged in guide eyes 63 mounted in opposite ends of the casing 10 so as to prevent the displacement of the yoke during the vertical movement thereof.

Fixed in the limbs of the yoke 50 is a trip bar 64 the latter engageable with a trip catch 65 pivoted at 66 in the arm 30, the catch 65 being held in the path of movement of the trip bar 64 through the medium of a spring 67 suitably fixed in the said arm 30 and actmg against the catch 65 so that on the lowering of the yoke 50 the catch 65 will be engaged with the trip bar 64 thereby causing the arm 30 to be swung through the cutaway portion 33 in the post 15 whereby the moistening head 29 will be brought into contact with an envelop when inserted in the guide 22 therefor and when the moistening head 29 contacts with the said envelop the trip bar 64 will trip over the catch 65 and thereby release the said arm so that it may be swung out of the path of the plunger. On the raising of the yoke 50 after the arm has assumed normal position the catch will trip over the trip bar 64 for locking engagement therewith so that the arm 30 may again be actuated by the yoke.

Projecting outwardly from the swinging frame 38 through an L-shaped slot 68 formed in one end of the casing 10 is a finger engaging extension 69 which when engaged in the inner end of the said slot 68 will hold the frame 38 elevated and thereby separate the guide roller 11 from the feed roller thus permitting the stamp strip 43 to be freely moved through the guide 4 1 between the said rollers without interfering with the same.

Acting against the frame 38 and suitably fixed to the inner side of the end wall adjacent thereto of the casing 10 is a coiled expansion spring 70 which is designed to tension the guide roller 41 and sustain the same in contacting relation to the stamp strip 43 when passing between the feed and guide rollers as heretofore described and in this manner the said strip is prevented from slipping on the feed roller during the rotation of the same.

The door 48 f the housing 47 is provided with a suitable latch 71 so that the same be locked in closed position.

In the operation of the device presuming that the strip 43 has been passed between the rollers 37 and 41 so that a single stamp of the strip will project into the hollow post 15 in the path of the movable plunger 16 therein on pressing the knob 61 the yoke 50 will be lowered thereby causing the arm 30 to swing into position for bringing the moistening head 29 in contact with one corner of the envelop inserted in the guide 22 therefor for the moistening of the envelop. The arm 30 is subsequently released by the trip bar 6 1 whereupon the cam 57 engages with the lever 18 the latter lifting the plunger 16 and during this movement the strip is brought into contact with the cutting blade 55 which seversasingle stamp from the strip 48 and this stamp is taken up by the plunger 16 and is brought into contact with the moistened portion of the envelop and afiixed thereto by the said plunger 16 whence the stamped envelop is removed from the guide 22 therefor and the foregoing opera tion of the device is repeated for the successive stamping of envelops,

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be clearly understood and therefore a more extended explanation has been omitted.

What is claimed is 1, A stamp affixing machine comprising a casing having an envelop guideway provided with a stamp aperture adapted to admit one of a series of successively connected stamps, a hollow guide post disposed vertically with in the casing and communicating with the aperture, a plunger movable in the hollow post, a lever fulcrumed in the casing and engaging the plunger for moving the same, means acting upon the lever to normally hold the plunger lowered within the hollow post, a manually operated frame, legs on the frame, one of which is engageable with the lever for operating the same, a feed roller journaled in the casing at one side of the hollow post, connections between the other leg of the frame and the said roller for rotating the same, a reel detachably mounted exteriorly of the casing for supporting the series of successively connected stamps and delivering the same over the feed roller into the path of movement of the plunger, and a cutter mounted in the hollow post in alinement with the point of connection of adjacent stamps for severing one of the stamps on the raising of the plunger.

2. A stamp affixing machine comprising a casing having an envelop guideway provided with a stamp aperture adapted to admit one of a series of successively connected stamps, a hollow guide post disposed vertically within the casing and communicating with the aperture, a plunger movable in the hollow post, a lever fulcrumed in the casing and engaging the plunger for moving the same, means acting upon the lever to normally hold the plunger lowered within the hollow post, a manually operated frame, legs on the frame, one of which is engageable with the lever for operating the same, a feed roller journaled in the casing at one side of the hollow post, connections between the other leg of the frame and the said roller for rotating the same, a reel detachably mounted exteriorly of the casing for supporting the series of successively connected stamps and delivering the same over the feed roller into the path of movement of the plunger, a cut ter mounted in the hollow post in alinement with the point of connection of adjacent stamps for severing one of the stamps on the raising of the plunger, and a guide roller resiliently supported above the feed roller and engageable with the successively connected stamps.

3. A stamp aflixing machine comprising a casing having an envelop guideway provided with a stamp aperture adapted to admit one of a series of successively connected stamps, a hollow guide post dis posed vertically within the casing and communicating with the aperture, a plunger movable in the hollow post, a lever fulcrumed in the casing and engaging the plunger for moving the same, means acting upon the lever to normally hold the plunger lowered within the hollow post, a manually operated frame, legs on the frame, one of which is engageable with the lever for operating the same, a feed roller journaled in the casing at one side of the hollow post, connections between the other leg of the frame and the said roller for rotating the same, a reel detachably mounted exteriorly of the casing for supporting the series of successively connected stamps and delivering the same over the feed roller into the path of movement of the plunger, a cutter mounted in the hollow post in alinement with the point of connection of adjacent stamps for severing one of the stamps on the raising of the plunger, a guide roller resiliently supported above the feed roller and engageable with the successively c011- nected stamps, and a housing inclosing the said reel and connected with the casing.

4. A stamp affixingmachine comprising a casing having an envelop guideway provided with a stamp aperture adapted to admit one of a series of successively connected stamps, a hollow guide post disposed vertically within the casing and communicating with the aperture, a plunger movable in the hollow post, a lever fulcrumed in the casing and engaging the plunger for moving the same, means acting upon the lever to normally hold the plunger lowered within the hollow post, a manually operated frame, legs on the frame, one of which is engageable with the lever for operating the same, a feed roller journaled in the casing at one side of the hollow post, connections between the other leg of the frame and the said roller for rotating the same, a reel detachably mounted exteriorly of the casing for supporting the series of successively connected stamps and delivering the same over the feed roller into the path of movement of the plunger, a cutter mounted in the hollow post in alinenient with the point of connection of adjacent stamps for severing one of the Stamps on the raising of the plunger, a guide roller resiliently supported above the feed roller and engageable with v the successively connected stamps, a housing inclosing the said reel and connected with the casing, a water distributing tank mounted interiorly of the caslng, a molstening member swingingly connected interiorly of the casing and movable from the tank to the stamp aperture in advance of the plunger, and a yoke carried by the frame and engageable withthe said moistening member for operating the same on the initial movement of the frame.

5. A stamp aifixing machine comprising a casing having an envelop guideway provided with a stamp aperture adapted to admit one of a series of successively connected stamps, a hollow guide post disposed vertically within the casing and communicating with the aperture, a plunger movable in the hollow post, a lever fulcrumed in the casing and engaging the plunger for moving the same, means acting upon the lever to normally hold the plunger lowered within the hollow post, a manually operated frame, legs on the frame, one of which is engageable with the lever for operating the same, a feed roller journaled in the casing at one side of the hollow post, connections between the other leg of the frame and the said roller for rotating the same, a reel detachably mounted exteriorly of the casing for supporting the series of successively connected stamps and delivering the same over the feed roller into the path of movement of the plunger, a cutter mounted in the hollow post in alinement with the point of connection of adjacent stamps for severing one of the stamps on the raising of the plunger, a guide roller resiliently supported above the feed roller and engageable with the successively connected stamps, a housing inclosing the said reel and connected with the casing, a water distributing tank mounted interiorly of the casing, a moistening member swingingly connected interiorly of the casing and movable from the tank to the stamp aperture in advance of the plunger, a yoke carried by the frame and engageable with the said moistening member for operating the same on the initial movement of the frame, and a trip device carried by the moistening member and adapted to ride over the yoke for releasing the said moistening member therefrom when the frame has been completely lowered in the casing.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. STEVENS. EARL D. HARRISON. JOHN J. MACHADO.

\Vitnesses J. E. GnArrIUs, S. M. SHEETS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

